Rotary engine.



E. M. VAN ALSTYNE L W. BELL.

' ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 12, 1909.

955,925, Patented Apr. 26 QIO.

5 EEBBTS-BHBET l.

@4M/r Edf H. M, VAN ALSTYNB L W. BELL;

RQTARY ENGINE, LIGATION FILED APR. 12, 1909.

Patent-d Apu 26, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. .EU Hr um H. M. VAN ALSTYNB L W. BELL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPMGATION FILED M1112, 1909.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m @iw H. M. VAN ALSTYNE W. BELL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APP..12,1909.

Wi tu @man H, M. VAN ALSTYNE @a W. BELL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION :FILED 93.12, 1909.

Patanted M1326, 19W.

5 SHEETS-*SHEET 5s UNTJD STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HOWARD Ivi. VAN ALSTYNE AND VALTER- BELL, OF RENSSELAER, NE' YORK.

ROTARY ENG-TNB.

Application filed April Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 19ML Serial No, 489.324`

the countj. ot Rensselaer. .ntatfie oit Kev-7 forli, have 'nrented certain new and useful i linproveinents` in llotarjv Engines: and i do herebyv declare the following to be a tull, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as ivill enable others skilled in t the art to ivhich it appertains to inalte and use the saine.

The present invention has reference to iinprovoinents in rot-ari' engines, and it ainis, priniarilv, to provide an exceedinglv simple, durable. and povvertul engine ot that tvpe comprising a cylindrical casing having an interiori)v located annular chanibe intersected at regular intervals by transverse slots, in each ot which is tirted a slide `valve or gate and a piston provided with a pair ot dianietricallr-opposite heads arranged tor inovenient in said chamber.

More especially, the invention resides in the particular devices eniplo'ved tor clleeting the inovenients ot the aboveanentioncd valvesl t'oi' supporting the latte and tor guiding the saine during such nioreinents, and in the particular construction ot the ineniberfa` ot the engine easing.

rthe intention Yfurther re s in tno provision ot an iniproved controlling valve tor regulating the supply ot inotive Ytli'id to the cylinder, said valve having a series pockets harmed therein, itroni which tluid discharged through a series ot out let openings torined in the valve casing,

each opening communicating through a conduit, with one et the inlet openings with l or cylinder is proivhich the inain casing vided.

'the invention still t provision et an iinpro governor v: secured to the shaft which carries i troln l e, above referred to. t Y

v. se nL nient ot aid shaft., in conseq' ot which the valve is inoved to one by the saine reference characters throughout the several viens.

Ul' the said drawings, Figures lv and 2y a re elevations ot the complete invention talten troni opposite sides. lflig. Il is a liront, elevation. Fig. el is a vvertical. section. Figs. 5, (j and are vertical sections through the cylinder, the valve casing, and the governor at right angles to the section plane ot Fig. .l.

rig. o is a perspective vieiv ot the valve. lfig. 9 a sectional peispeetiif'e View ot one ot the guides tor the slide valves. Fig. lO ris a tragniental. vertical section, showing the valve in position to close the outlet ports in the valve casing. `fig. ll is an enlarged sectional view ot one ot the piston heads.

Referring inore particularly to the drawings, A designates generallyv the engine proper, B the valve inechanisin tor controllingl the supply of steain or other inotive iluid thereto, and C the governor secured to the shaft which carries the above-mentioned valve.

rflier engine A consists, as shown, ot' a base l upon ivliich is inounted a pair ot' l -shaped brackets 2 arranged in spaced relation to each other, the engine casing or cylinder 3 being disposed between said brackets, which i latter are bolted at their upper ends to the sections ot the cylinder. Both sections ot the cylinder are in the l'orin oi circular plates, as shown in Fig. said plates being` connected together by bolts u'hich are passed 1 through alining perforations tornied in the pairs of ears with Which the sections are provided at suitable intervals. Each section of the casing is 'further provided with inner and outer concentric annular llanges ft and 5 arranged in spaced relation to each other, the tlanges ot' one section being arranged directly opposite those ot the other ot each other.

therelrv cutting oil' the steain earlier in the the inven4 ipanvine section, so as to provide a cylindrical inner chainber (S and an annular outer chamber T ivliieh are separated troni each ot lier bv the inner tlanges et which latter terminate short The uniting outer tlanges L3 torni the peripheral ivall ot the engine ovlinder, sa id ivall being provided with a series, ot three transverse snots which extend practically the entire Width thereof and communicate With the clianiber 7. which latter is thus divided into three equal sections, communication between said sections being norinalh7 cut out by ineans ot a series ot gates or slide valves 9 ivhicli are inovable bodily through the slots 9 above referred to into and out of the chamber. The side walls of the cylinder have formed therein alining axial openings through which extend the ends of the engine shaft 10 to which latter is rigidly secured a circular plate 11 which is disposed within the interior of the cylinder and extends between the mutually-adjacent spaced ends of the flanges 4. At each of two diametrically-opposite points, said plate is provided with a pair of inwardly-extending notches, each pair having fitted therein a pair of fingers 13 formed upon the lower edge of a piston head 12, the dimensions of which are approximately those of the chamber 7. A

Disposed directly above each of the slots 8, and likewise arranged transversely of the cylinder is a housing 14 U-shaped in cross section, whose top wall is provided with a central opening through which projects the stem 15 formed upon the outer longitudinal edge of the corresponding gate, which latter is normally forced inwardly through the slot by means of an expansible coil spring 16 which embraces said stem and bears at one end against the above mentioned edge of the gate and at the other end against the inner face of the top wall of the housing. The projecting outer end of each stem has connected thereto the free end of the shorter or horizontal arm of an L-shaped rod 18 whose vertical arm extends through alining perforations formed in the arms of a C- shaped bracket 19 which projects laterally from the outer face of the right hand section of the cylinder and is secured thereto in any preferred manner. The free end of the last mentioned arm of each rod 18 terminates in an enlargement or head 20. The heads 2O of the rods 18 lie in the path of motion of the cams 21 formed upon a ca1n` plate 22 secured to the engine shaft, the shoulder portions 23 of the cams being disposed diametrically opposite each other. The rotation of the cam will therefore successively move the several gates outwardly of their slots.

Each section of the annular chamber 7 is provided at opposite ends with an inlet opening 24 and with an outlet opening 25 which are formed through the left hand wall of the cylinder which latter is thickened at such points. In each inlet openingl is fitted one end of a supply pipe 26 whose other end is fitted in an outlet opening 27 formed in the peripheral wall of a cylin drical casing 28 supported upon a horizontal bracket 29 bolted at its inner end to the left hand bracket 2, said casing wall being further provided with an inlet opening 30 in which is fitted one end of the main supply p1 e.

1rihe side walls of the casing are provided with alining axial openings through which extend the ends of a horizontal shaft 31 having rigidly secured thereto a cylindrical valve 32 located interiorly of said casing, the side walls of which latter are provided with integral annular bushings 33 formed concentric with the openings above referred to and adapted to receive threaded plugs 34. These plugs are provided with axial openings which register with the first mentioned openings and extend through the enlarged head portions 35 of the plugs whose inner faces, as shown in Fig. 4, bear against the adjacent faces of said bushings. The inner ends of the plugs terminate short of those of the bushings to provide spaces for the reception of gaskets of rubber or other suitable material.

The valve 32, as shown in Fig. 8, is provided with a pair of pockets 36 formed by splitting the peripheral wall thereof at diametrically opposite points, each pocket havmg a straight side 36 and a long or inclined side 362. The valve is disposed normally adjacent the left-hand side wall of the casing, and its width is slightly more than half the distance between the inner faces of the casing walls, the widest portions of the pockets being normally in line with the outlet portions 27.

The right hand end of the valve shaft has secured thereto a gear 37, which meshes with a similar gear 38 secured to the adjacent end of the engine shaft, the thickness of the lastmentioned gear exceeding somewhat that of the gear 37. The other end of the valve shaft carries the governor C which latter, as shown, comprises a disk 39 and a ring 40 arranged in spaced relation to each other and connected by a pair of fiat springs 41, the disk having its hub portion secured directly to said shaft, while the ring has its inner portion extending into the annular seat formed between the head of the left hand plug 34 and the adjacent wall of the valve casing. Each spring 41 has secured centrally thereto a weight 42, the two springs being connected together by a supplemental retractile coilspring 43, which extends through an opening formed in the valve shaft, as shown in Fig. 7.

By reason of the fact that the gears 37 and 38 are of exactly the same size, the engine and valve shafts will rotate at the same speed, as will be apparent. Vhen therefore, the speed of the latter shaft becomes excessive, the weights 42 will fiy outwardly in opposite directions, owing to the centrifugal force exerted thereupon, as a result of which the springs 41 will buckle, thus drawing the disk 39 toward the ring 40, and forcing the shaft inwardly. The valve being rigidly secured to said shaft will move therewith, thus gradually decreasing the width of those portions of the pockets which aline with the several outlet openings 27, or in other words,

cutting off the steam supplied to the main casing earlier in the stroke, the speed of the engine and valve shafts decreasing` in consequence.

1n the operation of the invention, as a whole, steam is admitted into the interior of the valve casing through the main supply pipe S. Of the three outlet openings or ports 27 with which the pockets successively register, the valve being in the position in Fig. G, the right hand port is completely closed, the left hand port partly closed, and the upper or central port partly open. The sections of the annular chamber T are desig nated, for convenience, u, b and c, which characters indicate, respectively, right and left hand sections, and the lower or central section. Hence, when the valve is in the abovementioned position, the first mentioned section is completely empty of steam, while the second section is about to be filled, and the third section is partly exhausted, as shown in Fig. Also the upper piston head 12 is just about to cross the upper inlet port, while the lower piston head is midway the two ports of the lower section. Hence, when the upper piston has passed said inlet port, the steam admitted through the latter will fill the space between the upper piston head and the adjacent gate, and will force the piston to rotate in the direction of the arrow, the arrangement of the cam shoulders with respect to the piston heads being such that they lie in the same plane as the rear faces of the latter. is the piston continues its rotation, the steam contained iu the lower section c will exhaust through the lower outlet port, the section a remaining empty of steam until the lower piston head passes the lower right-hand gate and starts across the adjacent inlet port, whereupon steam will start to flow through the latter, as will be apparent, the right-hand outlet port in the valve casing being uncovered as said piston head reaches said inlet port. During the rotation of the piston, the gates are successively raised by the cam disk, the gates being operated simultaneously with the passage of the piston heads across the adjacent outlet ports 25.

rt will thus be understood that the movements cof the valve and piston are synchro nous and that the gates are held normally in closed position by the springs 1G and are opened or moved outwardly against the action of said springs by the cani disk. it is also to be noted that there is no possibility of the piston stopping upon a dead center', owin to the fact that there are three sections of the steam chamber. for which reason there is at all times a full head of steam behind one piston head or the other. Furthermore, tue danger of back pressure is avoided, since each section is completely exhausted before being refilled. rthe provision of the controlling` valve prevents the engine from ruiming at a dangerously high rate of speed, and at the same time, permits the supply of steam, when used as the motive fluid, to be cut off from each section when the piston head has traveled only partway therethrough, thus utilizing the expansive power of the steam already admitted to force the piston head to travel the remaining distance. Finally, the simplicity and durability of the engine is extremely great, since there are but few parts, none of which are subjected to excessive wear.

1t is also the purpose of the inventors to produce a steam tight joint between the chambers T and (3, to prevent the admission of steam into the latter, and its subsequentescape therefrom by leakage or otherwise. To this end each of the two mating flanges et has formed in its outer face a circumscribing groove etat whose depth is approximately equal to the width of the flange, each groove having fitted therein an. annular packing strip 45 which is yieldingly forced outwardly thereof and into Contact with the adjacent face of plate 11 by means of a series of expansible coil-springs 46, said springs being disposed within the grooves between the bottom walls thereof and the inner edges of the strips, as shown in Fig. et. Escape of steam around the edges of the piston heads is likewise prevented by forming the edges thereof with continuous grooves 4T in which are seated L-shaped packing strips d8. (See 11.) IThese strips, like the strips Ll5, are normally forced outwardly of their grooves by means of expansible springs elf) which are fitted in seats 50 formed by extensions of the said grooves.

"What is claimed is:

1. A rotary engine, comprising a cylindrical casing having its interior divided into spaced inner and outer concentric slots, and its peripheral wall provided with a series of transverse slots communicating with the outer chamber; a housing disposed directly in line with each slot; a gate disposed within each housing and slidable through the adjacent slot into and out of said outer chamber, to divide the latter into a plurality of sections. each section being provided at one end with an inlet opening and at the other end with an outlet opening; means for normally holding said gates at the limit of their inward movement; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft and consisting of a disk provided at diametrically mposite points with a pair of traiisversely-disposed heads arranged to travel in said outer chamber; means for admitting a motive fluid through the inlet ports into said chamber against the rear facesA of said heads; a member secured to each gate; and means secured to said shaft and arranged for engagement with said members, for successively moving said gates outwardly to permit said heads to pass from one section to another.

2. A rotary engine, comprising a cylindrical casing having its interior divided into spaced inner and outer concentric chambers, and its peripheral wall provided with a series of transverse slots communicating with the outer chamber; an exteriorly-located transverse housing secured to said wall in direct alinement with each slot, the top of each housing having a perforation formed therethrough; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft and comprising a disk provided at diametrically-opposite points with a pair of transversely-disposed heads 'arranged to travel in said outer chamber;

a gate disposed within each housing and slidable through the adjacent slot into and out of said outer chamber', to divide the latter in'to a plurality7 of separate sections, each section being provided at one end with an inlet opening and at the other end with an outlet opening, each gate including a stem projecting through the opening in the corresponding housing; means for normally holding said gates at the limit of their inward movement; means for admitting motive fluid through the inlet openings against the rear faces of said heads, for rotating said piston; a member secured to the projecting end of each stem; and a cam secured to said shaft and provided with a pair of diametrically-opposite cam surfaces arranged for engagement with said members, to successively raise said gates and to permit said heads to pass from one section to another.

3. The combination of a cylindrical casing provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured thereto provided with a plurality of piston heads; a valve casing located adjacent the first mentioned casing and provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining openings; a valve secured to said shaft and provided with pockets arranged for registration with said outlet openings; means for admitting a motive fluid into the interior of the valve casing through the inlet opening therein to fill said pockets; pipe connections between said outlet openings and the inlet openings in the first mentioned casing, to admit the fluid into the interior of the latter, for rotating said piston; and driving connections between the first and last mentioned shafts, for rotating the latter and said valve, to move said pockets into registration'with the outlet opening and the valve casing.

4t. The combination, of a cylindrical casing, provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft provided with a plurality of piston heads; a valve casing located adjacent the rstmentioned casing and provided with inlet and outlet openings; ashaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the valve casing; a valve secured to said shaft and provided with pockets arranged for successive registration with said outlet openings; means for admitting motive fluid through said inlet openings into the interior of the valve casing, to till said pockets; pipe connections between the outlet openings in the valve casing and the inlet openings in the firstmentioned casing, to admit the fluid into the interior of the latter for rotating the piston; driving connections between the rst and last mentioned shafts for rotating the latter and said valve; and a Governor secured to said last-mentioned shaft.

5. The combination, of a cylindrical casing, having its interior divided into inner and outer concentric chambers; means for dividing the outer chamber into a plurality of separate sections, each section having an inlet and outlet opening; a shaft extending through alining` axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft and provided with a pair of diametrically opposite heads arranged to travel in said outer chamber; a valve casing located adjacent the first mentioned casing and provided with an inlet opening and a series of outlet openings, said outlet open- Y ings corresponding in number to theinlet openings in the first mentioned casing; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the valve casing; a valve secured to said shaft and provided with pockets arranged for successive' registration with said outlet openings; means for admitting motive fluid into the interior of the valve casing through the inlet opening therein to fill said pockets; pipe connections between said outlet openings and the inlet openings in said first mentioned casing, for directing the fluid into the, interior of said outer chamber and against the rear faces of said heads for rotating said piston; and driving connections between the first and last mentioned shafts for rotating the latter and said valve.

6. The combination of a cylindrical casing provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the side walls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft; a valve casing located adjacent the first mentioned casing and provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining axial openings formed in the walls of the valve casing; a valve secured to said shaft and provided with pockets arranged for registration vvitli said outlet openings; means for admitting motive fluid into the interior of the valve casing through the inlet opening therein to fill said pockets; Dipe connections between said outlet openings and the inlet openings in the first mentioned casine, for directing the fluid into the interior of the latter to rotate the piston; driving connections between said shafts for rotating the same in unison; and a governor secured to said last mentioned shaft and connected with the adjacent side Wall of the valve easing, for imparting an endivise movement to said shaft and valve when the speed at which the former rotates becomes excessive.

T. The combination of a cylindrical casing provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining openings formed in the side ivalls of the casing; a piston secured to said shaft provided With a plurality of piston heads; a valve casing located adjacent the first mentioned casing and provided with inlet and outlet openings; a shaft extending through alining axial open ings formed in the side Walls of the valve casing; a valve secured to said shaft and provided ivitli pockets arranged for registration With said outlet openings; means for supplying motive fluid through said inlet opening to the interior of the valve casing,

for filling said pockets; pipe connections between said outlet openings and the inlet openings in the first mentioned casing, for

supplying the fluid to the interior of the latter to rotate the piston; driving connections betiveen the first and last mentioned shafts for rotating the saine in unison; and a governor connected to one end of said last mentioned shaft and mounted upon the adjacent side Wall of the valve casing7 for imparting an endwise movement to said shaft and valve when the speed at Which the former rotates becomes excessive.

8. The combination of a valve casing provided With inlet and outlet openings; an endWise movable shaft extending through alining openings formed in the end Walls of the casing; a valve secured to said shaft and provided With tapering pockets arranged to register with said outlet openings; means for admitting a motive fluid into the interi( r of said casing through said inlet opening; means for rotating said shaft.; and a governor connected to one end of said shaft and mounted upon the adj acent Wall of the casing, for inipaifing` an endwise movement to said shaft and valve when the speed at Which the former rotates becomes excessive, to vary the effective area of said pockets.

In testimonj7 whereof, We affix our signatures, in presence of trvo Witnesses.

HOXVARD M. VAN ALSTYNE. VLTER BELL.

Witnesses CHARLES E. FasoLD'r, JOHN BELL. 

